Antioxidant Supplements for Athletes Blackfoot ID

Local resource for antioxidant supplements for athletes in Blackfoot. Includes detailed information on local businesses that give access to antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene, as well as advice and content on free radicals and antioxidants.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Over the last few years, we have been hearing more and more about antioxidants - vitamins (C, E, and beta carotene) that neutralize dangerous compounds known as free radicals. Although the focus of much of the discussion has been on cardiovascular health, there has been a suggestion that free radicals may contribute to a slow recovery after tough rides.

What is a free radical ? It is a molecule with an unpaired electron, and a normal by product of all biologic systems (exercising or not). These free radicals are unstable and can produce cellular damage such as lipid peroxidation (damage of lipid membranes) and changes in membrane protein structure - both of which have been suggested as possible culprits in the development of heart disease and cancer. An antioxidant, as the name suggests, can neutralize free radicals before they interact with living tissue, detoxifying them into water and oxygen.

A review of studies on the role of anti-oxidants in exercise suggests that although exercise does increase the rate of lipid peroxidation (the formation of free radicals), there is also a rise in the natural antioxidant activity in the blood. And with regular training, the antioxidant defense system increases even further. There is little data as to which has the upper hand in this balancing act - the free radicals or the defenses. There has been speculation that the "weekend warriors" who do not have a regular training program, might be more susceptible to free radical damage. However, there is no convincing evidence that supplements of antioxidants are of any value in counteracting the potential effects of free radicals, for either competitive cyclists or recreational exercisers.

One study suggested that the use of antioxidants in the form of vitamins C, E, and beta carotene decreased muscle damage in a group of runners as compared to a control group, and there are numerous anecdotal reports that vitamin C taken before a ride diminished the amount of muscle soreness the next day. The only controlled studies were with 600 IU of vit E for 2 days before exercise (no effect) and a second with 3 grams of vit C per day for 3 days before and 4 days after an exercise bout (reduced soreness). However, none have suggested a positive effect of any of the antioxidant vitamins on actual exercise performance or the rate of postexercise recovery in athletes on a balanced diet.

There is considerable speculation on the long term benefits of antioxidants in general. A study of nurses and male professionals published in 1993 demonstrated a lower rate of heart disease in those taking Vit E supplements. And a study from China indicated that the use of a multivitamin, containing antioxidants among other things, lowered the cancer death rate by 13%. However a more recent study (1996) indicated the opposite, that patients at risk for lung cancer had a HIGHER cancer rate if they took beta carotene supplements, and the study was...

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